New practice facility; Positioned next to the RAC.
- Thread starter bowlgoal
- Start date
One person says worse another says full of tradition. Just win in the building I couldnt care less about the facade.
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The problem is that Rutgers hasn't been winning in the RAC against league competition for decades .Perception matters to recruits and the exterior of the RAC is just another symbol of not being ready for prime time.
That was my only point. The inside of the RAC is tolerable. The new floor looks amazing and there’s some other things they can do; even improving the look and quality of the seats would be a huge upgrade. But when you pull up to the RAC as a recruit; there’s an image of the program. The new facility (and that video someone attached) is incredible. But the arena gives a different image.
We have discussed the topic on this and the Issues Board.
It wouldn’t take much money or time to do what you’re suggesting.
Right. If it’s so easy for fans to recognize, why hasn’t been recognized by the administration. Do they think it looks okay?
Its shocking how many RU fans think that The Rac is an adequate arena on a major level. After the RWJ Center is finished, Hobbs needs to start fundraising to expand/improve The Rac. I dont think RU fans realize that the RWJ Center will only provide RU athletics with some amenities that other power 5 (and some G5) schools have had for years. The RAC is still embarrasing to show on an official visit. Even after the RWJ Center is complete, RU Basketball has a long way to go as facilities go.
I continue to wish that Rutgers consider building a downtown New Brunswick arena. It would do wonders for the downtown area --maybe even spark a revival.
Penn State has a nice arena built in the mid 90s, it goes empty most games because the team stinks. I don't think the basketball team deserves a better building until they have proven that they are headed in the right direction, it is all talk right now. Start qualifying for the tournament on a regular basis and then let's consider a downtown NB arena.
when "plenty of" our "fans" actually give like PSU fans ,we can talk about a new arena
Agreed. For a school with as many alumni as Rutgers has money shouldn't be an issue.
Downtown arena would be a waste. Expand the concourses and the rac is a fine arena. Large minor league hockey arena types are garbage. Didn't do anything for Trenton.
Rutgers Stadium looks fine from the outside and parking lots, but the team and fans make the environment. No one says anything about Cameron Indoor at Duke, the Carrier Dome at Cuse or some of these regional arenas that look blah.
The RAC is fine and needs to be filled to make it matter.
The RAC is fine and needs to be filled to make it matter.
I would outline the State of NJ in black. Brought a 1st timer to the game and said the State looks like a varnish stain. Can't tell it's NJ.
Love the RAC. No cookie cutters.
RAC needs lighted Big Red R's on building and some red paint. . And maybe some outside lights so it isn't so dark around the arena.
These are some of the things we have talked about, @bowlgoal.
Very easy, quick and really not expensive at all.
I would say an exact match to the practice center with a new roof instead of the ugly brown metal slates. They’ve done a great job with the new building so make it look like it’s one complex. Put new seats in the RAC, all Black and Scarlet and it’s a a complete facility. The naming rights to the RAC could add the additional funds to pay for it. What happened to that?
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anon_0k9zlfz6lz9oy
Guest
The RAC is perfect. The acoustics, the oldish feel to it. It is completely and totally fine. Why the hell do we need cushy seats and new paint. Who gives a ****? Recruits dont. Recruits want a loud raucous arena. Theyre gonna spend most of their time in the practice facility anyway
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I was going to mention the Cameron at Duke also.... it holds a bit over 9,000, so not
much bigger than ours......yet it is considered
a hallowed and revered place to play.... never been in it, but I guess it is acceptable to those that go.
those that want to increase the seating are probably not going to get that till we have a
waiting list.....which never happens with bb
You'll see next year after the RWJ center opens and people will be parking in the new deck what a nightmare it will be getting out after a game. Think about an arena in downtown NB and parking only in decks surrounded by narrow streets.
The RAC isn't fine because there is limited walking space in the concourse area and line space for concessions when the RAC has sellout crowds.The lines for rest rooms also backup .Winning is the ultimate objective of sport teams but Rutgers is now in the B1G and needs to have facilities comparable to the competition and hopefully would increase revenue .The kicking the can down the road approach at Rutgers has hardly enhanced football and mens basketball.Using Duke as a example is ridiculous because they are a elite basketball school that sells out arenas wherever they play and are a top attraction on television.Syracuse has a 30,000 seat arena which also is used for football.
The RAC is an amazing advantage if the team actually started to win consistently. It is not even legal to build like that anymore. The acoustics are what make it so special. The last thing I want is a 15,000 seat cookie cutter arena that is 40% filled most nights and in downtown NB. Talk about a lame environment that's a PITA to get in/out of.
Recruits do not care about the exterior of the RAC. Plenty of other sports and buildings we need to put money into before wasting money sprucing up an exterior of a building.
They should continue to power wash it though.
First impressions...
None of the stuff we have talked about in the past, like the power washing you mentioned, cost anything worth while. So simple.
And like @RUskoolie said, the next one, if there is one won’t be the same.
It’s the right size now and as @bowlgoal said, change the bench seats to real seats and we’re good in that dept. Maybe add some in front by 118 when the thing is done next door and all those offices move to it. But that’s it.
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Power washing is not a solution anymore and neither is red paint. Have you seen the way it looks now? The exterior construction of the Practice Center is basically built and next up is the landscaping. The Rac looks horrendous next to that building. I don't think it's the first thing on the list of evaluating your college choice but please don't say "Recruits don't Care." Maybe you don't care but I do and so do many season ticket holders. We have two revenue generating sports at Rutgers, Football and Basketball. What other sports or buildings do you want to invest in before the RAC? The exterior of the RAC is the first impression. It matters.
That’s all you’re getting (if even that) for the foreseeable future so try and be happy there.
And if the general upkeep was done all along (with a few additions here and there) we would be complaining about the real issues and problems with MBB which is the lack of Ws.
We got Pike and the Ws will come. Been here 30 years. We finally have the right coach.
Regarding a downtown New Brunswick arena, on one of the first Scarlet Spotlight podcasts Jon Newman and Danny Breslauer had Connor Fox (former RU walk-on) as a guest and he talked about the feasibility studies that were done on this since he had once worked for the New Brunswick Development Corporation with Chris Paladino. Bottom line - not happening. Encourage you to listen that podcast.
Even without a true anchor tenant (which an arena in NB would have in Rutgers) I believe it was @Upstream who showed us they are doing okay in bookings.
Why will it be bad? Folks are parking this year without any garage. All the garage will do is spread out parking making it easier. We adding parking, not taking some away.
Would you like to be parked on the 4th floor of a parking deck with one exit after a game ends?
We lost the Scarlet lot at the RAC to the new building. Those that had parked there will probably be assigned back to the parking deck next year.